How do you monitor startup messages in Ubuntu?

[Jeffrey Tooker]

Derek Broughton wrote:
> Jeffrey Tooker wrote:
>
>   
>> I have a small problem with Gutsy when I boot up. Once bios is done the
>> screen goes black for a minute or so until the login screen comes up. I
>> have the same disk installation in an old 600M Compaq and the Ubuntu
>> logo and the progress bar stay on until the login screen comes up. I
>> know enough of command line to type it in. Is there a line command to
>> bring up either the progress bar or the startup messages? I do not like
>> the black screen.
>>     
>
> I suspect you are using an invalid video mode on the console...  Try
> googling "linux boot video mode" because I've never had to fix this myself. 
> When X starts, it's resetting your video.
>   
>> IIRC "grok" is also a verb.
>>     
>
> Indeed - from Heinlein.
>   
Derek:

I will be away from my computer until tomorrow. Will do research as you 
suggested above.

A bit of extra info which may be related to the black screen noted 
above. It all seems to have to do with xorg. About 75% of the time the 
system boots all the way to login screen, normal black screen ((for me) 
bootup.. After login the system screen goes black and resolution changes 
to 800 X 600 (my preferred resolution) and the desktop comes up. This is 
my normal bootup.

 From time to time (~20%) after the login screen in an normal (for me) 
bootup the screen will not go black and stays at default resolution and 
desktop comes up. I then go <Control><Alt><Bk Sp> the system reverts to 
login screen, I log in and system comes up to desktop in 800 X 600 
resolution. This is a normal (for me) bootup with one restart.

Sometimes (~25%) at bootup the system will end up in "out of range" 
(monitor) and not make it to the log in screen. I then hit 
<Control><Alt><Bk Sp>, get the login screen and login to an 800 X 600 
desktop. Sometimes however when going <Control><Alt><Bk Sp> from the out 
of range screen (~30%) the system goes to a screen saying "Greeter App 
Crashing" I <Control><Alt><Bk Sp> again and the system goes to login 
screen. I then login and system goes to 800 X 600 desktop. I have 
learned to work my way around the problems to get to my desktop, but I 
know the system is not right. Also concerning xorg, I am using i810 
driver as the intel driver will not work in my system. I am running the 
i845 chipset with a Dell E772C monitor.

I will keep working at it, when I get back tomorrow.

Read a lot of Heinlein years ago.

TIA

Jeffrey